Topic: retail

Construction barriers blocking off Apple's first Singapore store were dismantled this week to reveal an "Apple loves Singapore" mural covering what will likely be a two-story glass facade, suggesting work on the flagship outlet is nearing completion.

The year-old flagship Apple Store at Union Square in San Francisco was closed down today due to a massive power outage that affected around 90,000 other customers, shut down some subway stations and turned off traffic lights that snarled many busy intersections.

The Hover Camera Passport, a drone designed for taking selfies, is now exclusively available from Apple stores, including retail outlets and the online store, with the flying imaging device also receiving a number of updates to make it easier to fly.

Apple is enjoying consistently strong sales after opening its first brick-and-mortar retail outlet in Mexico in late 2016, and the company plans to capitalize on surging demand by building a new multi-level flagship in Mexico City's upscale Polanco district.

Apple will more than double the space of its popular Fifth Avenue store in Manhattan as part of ongoing renovations at the site, with the company promising "new services and experiences" once the outlet reopens.

Apple is planning to build a new underground flagship retail store in Milan's historic Piazza del Liberty, or Liberty Square, that will involve the construction of an outdoor amphitheater and stunning water features.

Following rumors that Apple was scouting locations for its first flagship store in South Korea, the company on Thursday posted retail hiring notices and confirmed that it indeed plans to open a brick-and-mortar outlet in the country.

Construction of Apple's new Chicago flagship retail store is well underway, and according to a report on Wednesday the final build cost is now expected to hit $27 million, down from an initial estimate of $62 million in October.

Continuing a holiday tradition, Apple on Monday announced it will offer free next-day delivery on in-stock items ordered through its online store on Dec. 23, giving holiday shoppers one more alternative for last minute Christmas gifts.

Apple on Friday presented its retail workforce with the usual annual holiday gift, this year consisting of a special edition gray T-shirt and keepsake card onto which the company's corporate credo is printed.

Apple has lost a class-action suit, that accused it of denying retail workers sufficient breaks, and paying final paychecks in some cases months too late and as a result, Apple must pay $2 million into a fund to pay for the lawyers, and compensate those wronged by its actions.

Apple on Thursday tinted red the iconic backlit logos installed outside brick-and-mortar stores around the world, continuing a long-standing tradition in support of World AIDS Day, which falls on Dec. 1.

As scheduled, Apple's store-within-a-store at the Macy's Herald Square flagship location in New York opened for business on Friday, granting customers access to a selection of tech giant's most popular products.